Awakened
by NotWhoYouThinkThisIs
Summary: For 19 years Alice wandered without a past or a future, living for the flashes of Jasper she saw behind her eyes. What was her life like before the diner in Philidelphia, when all she knew was a beautiful man with red eyes haunted her dreams? AxJ R&R!
1. Dawning Light

**A/N:**

**Tequila: Continuing the tradition of having things come into my head and stay there until I write them down…**

**Justin: She just kept bothering me about it until I gave up. Taking care of her is exhausting….**

**Tequila: I'm going to write the Alice bits**

**Justin: And I'm doing Jasper's POV**

**Tequila: ENJOY!!!**

**Disclaimer:**** By deciding every path that we could possibly take and holding Alice hostage, we have discovered that…. This story still does not belong to us. Dang! ******

1929: (autumn, just outside of Biloxi)

I woke up. There was light everywhere: glorious beautiful light. It beamed gently down on me, where I lay in a clearing. For a moment, I caught a glimpse of trees and sky, but then something different swept through my mind, overtaking all else. _A pair of eyes, bloody red but at the same time gentle, filled with all the love I could ever ask for, deep as the sea._ And then, suddenly, I was back in the clearing, dazed. What was that? Where was I? I waited a moment, but nothing came to me except a name. Alice. Me. I was Alice. Now I knew who, but where? I was looking about when suddenly I was somewhere else, again. _A pair of hands, touching, wearing rings. One was mine—and one I knew instinctively belonged to the man with the eyes._ And then I was back, back to pine trees and blue sky and glorious, lovely, sunlight.

I stood up, and was surprised by how quickly I moved. Did I usually move this fast? It felt wrong, somehow. I wasn't sure. I tried to remember how I walked, to bring up images or thoughts or sounds, but nothing came into my mind. I would walk that way, I decided. There was nothing for me here—_and suddenly there was a man in front of me—a hiker?—and he smelled so good I couldn't stop and suddenly he was dead and there was blood dripping from my throat and_—I was back in the meadow. I blinked. Perhaps I would go this way instead, I thought_I was thirsty, so thirsty my throat was on fire, aching for the bliss of blood, so thirsty that when a herd of deer passed by me, I reacted without thinking and leapt on one; it soothed the thirst_ _removing my desperation—_and again I was standing still in the clearing… what was this?

The whatever-it-was seemed to happen when I made a decision. So I would make decisions, and see what happened. I decided to jump in the air. Nothing. I decided to climb that pine tree—_I perched high in the branches, surveying all that passed below. I caught glimpses of more trees, a river glinting somewhere_—and then the trees from a normal height again. So, long term decisions? And I saw the results? I was puzzling this over, and puzzling out my thirst. Now that I had noticed it it seemed to grow stronger. Judging from what I had… seen… it was a thirst that could only be assuaged by blood. What did that mean? I searched my mind, which was surprisingly blank, and found nothing… nothing but a word. Vampire. Was I a vamp—_those eyes again, deep burgundy red, loving and gentle… from a slightly different angle, and I could see more of the face: fine boned, with an aquiline nose and blond hair… a crowd in the background_—again. But _this_ was a vision **-**ahallucination? - I was glad to have. He looked so kind, so gentle, that man. Why was I seeing him? I had made no decisions, had not even moved. This was pressed to the back of my mind as the thirst grew ever stronger, clawing its way out of my throat and into my mouth. Even if I was a… vampire… I wasn't going to drink the blood of people. Never. But in my vision? -mirage?- I had alleviated the thirst with deer. That I could handle. So I would look for some deer—_a rush of air, contact, and then sweet blood running down my throat_—yes. I would find some deer, it seemed… if I could trust these whatever-they-weres. I got up and began walking

**A/N: We kneel at your feet in supplication, begging for reviews…**


	2. Continuity

**Author's Note:**

**Tequila:** NOT MY FAULT!!! kowtows TAKE JUSTIN, NOT ME!!!

**Justin:** Thanks a lot, Tequila… but yeah, this one was mostly me…

**Tequila:** In his defense, I was in Switzerland for a week… eating lots and lots of scrumptious yummy-licious CHOCOLATE :D (and gaining a gazillion pounds, but whatever—worth it!!)

**Justin:** And all my patience to write was destroyed by the wait for the weekend. Plus, I procrastinate….alot.

**Tequila:** Really? Because people usually just tell me I'm manic!!

**Justin:** That's 'cuz you are, darling…

**Tequila:** Oh. Okay:D

**Disclaimer:** pshhht of course we own Twilight!! -world stares- WHAT?!? doesn't everyone who writes fanfiction own a copy of the book??? -world blinks slowly- oooh… you thought we meant the RIGHTS to twilight… nope… don't own those…

-THIS CHAPTER WAS WRITTEN BY JUSTIN, AND AS SUCH IS FROM JASPER'S POINT OF VIEW!-

**Continuity**

Dark. Desperation. That's all they could see. That's all they would see for awhile. A couple of screams reached my ears and feelings of confusion, despair, fear, and hate came with them. I picked at something underneath my nail. I was thirsty. Where was Maria? What was taking her so long? Examining the scene which unfolded before me, I waited- growing more and more impatient. Watching the newborns train was always dull. It was the same thing day, after day, after day. Each day a group would go in. Each day, a smaller number would come out. But that's what I was there for. To search for the strong, to weed out the week.

But why did it have to be me? I was so _thristy_! Why did I have to look over such petty, pathetic creatures? They couldn't even control themselves; they were barely civilized enough to talk. Pretty soon my teeth were bared, my hands were clenched. I wanted to feed. The screams from inside grew in volume, turning into hysterical shrieks. I was getting a headache. All I wanted to do was to go in and silence them all.

Calm. I told myself. She will be here soon. I nodded. I was probably jumpy since she had been away for awhile. The screams quieted, turning into soft whimpers. I took a deep breath. Where. Was. She.

The door opened with a slam. Two of the infantry came writhing out, screaming and slamming into each other. I sighed. They could never contain themselves. The fight quickly ended as one bit the neck of the other and shattered his torso. Oh, a strong one this time. I would have to watch him in the future. The useless body of the loser fell down, twitching. The victor smiled with a primal grin, until he met my eye. His red eyes shone with insolence, butonly for a moment. I gave a hard-edged smile as he bowed his head submissively and moved away. He dragged the other soldier's body back through the door, and into the hallway. I sighed and sat on the table. What was taking her so long? I swear she just loved to torment me.

All those feelings were gone as soon as she stepped through the door. I felt my body relax into acceptance, and I calmly stood up and went to her."Let's go?"

"Yes, let's" she replied, just as calmly, but her eyes betrayed her. Love, desire, and lust shot through them. For me, and for power. Now I could remember why I was here. Because I was already a commander. BecauseI led part of the army. Because of duty. Because I was strong. Because of her.

As we ran to the city above, I heard one last piercing scream.

Because there was no where else to go.

**A/N Revisited: **

**Tequila: **Hi!! I don't actually have anything to say…

**Justin:** Except **REVIEW!!!** We're begging, here…

**Tequila:** But if I only write one **a/n**, I'll feel underprivileged :D


	3. Pieces of the Puzzle

**Author's Note:**

**Justin:** wow… it's been a while… SORRY!!

**Tequila:** but our lives have been completely insane—

**Justin:** Tequila wrote the school play, acted in it, and edited the sound,

**Tequila:** and Justin was the backstage manager/set crew… WITH A SECOND DEGREE BURN ON HIS ARM!!

**Justin:** shh, Tequila, it was no big deal!

**Tequila:** ARE YOU KIDDING?! Justin is a HERO XD (my hero, anyway!)

**Justin:** so we've literally been living at school for two and a half weeks, including weekends… Tequila was there until 9 PM one night…

**Tequila:** but it was totally worth it, the show was AMAZING… I'm so proud --happy tears--

**Disclaimer:**** DON'T OWN… why must you rub our faces in it :(**

**Pieces of the Puzzle**

_1930 (spring, northern Mississippi)_

It seemed like I had been -awake? alive?- for months, but I knew it couldn't have been that long. I had chosen a direction and walked it. When I saw animals (mostly deer, but a few bears and a puma or two), I killed them and drank their blood, which eased the thirst that still pounded in my throat. I still had flashes: saw things that weren't there, or rather, weren't there yet. But I could change them; I could make choices that altered what I saw. And sometimes what I saw would come true. I had kept seeing those eyes, beautiful, red, and knowing, and now I could often see more of where he was. I had seen more of his face, too: jaw, a bit of ear, and a pair of the most sensuous lips I had ever seen. Okay, the only lips I ever remembered seeing (including my own. After my whatever-it-was about the person and the blood, I was avoiding anywhere I might find a mirror. I didn't want to find the people who went with the mirror. I was in no hurry to become the ravening monster I had… seen… myself turn into in the presence of a person), but they were beautiful, nevertheless. I had been seeing other things too, after I decided not to drink blood of humans, flashes of other people I didn't know, beautiful, with golden eyes and pale skin, who moved too fast like me. I was guessing, hoping really, that they would understand it all, be able to explain it all to me. Every step I took brought me closer to them and the man with the scarlet eyes.

I glanced down into a passing stream, hoping I could catch my reflection, and then suddenly I saw a man. _He was pale, and with brown hair and bloody eyes, but they were fierce, and filled with fascination. He stared down at a female, feral looking with clouds of red hair billowing about her face__**.**_ Then all I saw was the water of the stream, too broken by the current to catch anything other than dark hair and a pale face. So I had dark hair… I hadn't been able to tell: it was very short, and I couldn't see it. That at least was something to know. Dark hair, pale skin that shimmered when the sun hit it like a crystal, speed, agility, strength (I had accidentally knocked over a small tree when I had leant against it to rest), and I was guessing beauty and red eyes. But I wasn't sure. Alice. Alice who? And why? I froze as a scent hit me. Not human, not the haunting smell I remembered -seeing? Experiencing?- in one of my whatever-they-weres. Visions most likely. This smell was different. Good, but not quite as good… I immediately slowed down, made my footsteps quieter. I was getting good at this. I came out of the small grove of trees and saw a bobcat eating a pheasant. In a flash, I was on it: it barely had time to fight back. Not that it would have helped: I seemed to be well-neigh invulnerable. I ripped open its throat and sucked down the sweet ambrosia that awaited within. When I had finished, I rose and returned to the stream. I had to wash off.

I was still wearing the clothes I had been in when I had awakened. They were comfortable: a man's shirt and pants, too big for me but well worn. I wondered who had given them to me. I wondered about a lot of things. I stripped down and jumped into the stream, scrubbing vigorously. I was ducking my head below the water when _a pair of deep burgundy eyes stared out at me. They were contained in a face, with pale skin and blonde hair, sensual lips and a narrow nose. He was the most beautiful and delicate thing I had ever seen. I saw him from above—he was sitting down._ I was still underwater. I had frozen in place: I couldn't breathe! This was wrong, this was wrong**—**I nearly panicked before noticing that I felt fine, if a little constrained. I blinked. That was odd. I had to have underwater for too long. Perhaps I was dying? I didn't want too die—I really, really, didn't want to! I waited. Still alive… Or not. If I was a vampire, then not alive. But if I was a vampire, shouldn't the sun burn me? Or something like that? I had vague recollections that that was what was supposed to happen to vampires… that and something about garlic. Oh, good lord, I was still underwater. So perhaps I didn't need to breathe. I came up again, and just for an experiment held my breath. I got out of the stream, dressed again, and started walking. It was odd, not breathing. I couldn't smell anything—it felt wrong. I inhaled, and immediately the scents of the wood filled my nose again. Alright: dark hair, pale skin that shimmered when the sun hit it like a crystal, speed, agility, strength, teeth that could break rock (yes, I'd tried), essentially invulnerable, I didn't need to breathe, and perhaps beauty and red eyes. That seemed to sum it up nicely.

As I was walking north, I kept getting flashes of the beingswith golden eyes._ A boy with messy bronze hair bent over an upright piano. A woman with flaxen hair smiling up at a blond man with a doctor's coat on, who was bent down as if to kiss her. _What did they mean? Who were they? Could they help me… and help me find the man with the beautiful eyes, who I was sure was waiting for me somewhere out there. Somewhere.

**A/N, the sequel that's never as good as the first movie: **

**Justin:** so now that the play is over and we're back in the groove—

**Tequila:** Oh. My. Edward. Justin!! you did not seriously just say that?!

**Justin:** hush, Tequila! we hope to be updating more regularly… we're hoping to settle into a once-a-week sort of a thing…

**Tequila:** but that's for all of our stories, so if we're busy updating Roses Are Red, Stuff Happens, or Hazy Shadows, this one might get neglected a bit… sorry!

**Justin:** anyway, hope you enjoyed, and please review!!


	4. Certified Freak

_**Author's Note (Emergency Room Edition):**_

**Justin: **C'mon Tequila! Faster!

**Tequila: -**wheeling in a gurney- I'm going as fast as I can Justin! You know, maybe if you hadn't left it for so long we—

**Justin: **Don't talk like that Tequila! It can make it! It _has_ too! –prepares defibrillators- charging 300, CLEAR!

**Tequila: **Nothing. Justin, this is hopeless! I told you time and time again that it needed your attention before, by now it's much too little, too la—

**Justin: **No! Tequila, it's going to pull through. I swear it! Even if I have to stay here for hours working on it, it will pull through! CLEAR! –beep beep beep beep-

**Tequila: **-gasps- Justin… it's… ALIVE!!!!!

**Disclaimer: ** if Justin was Stephenie Meyer, he would have an editor to rag on him to write… but instead all he has is Tequila… who is bad at it :(

Certified Freak

It was twilight, the pathway between two stories, the middle ground between two opposing sides, the meeting place of two lovers, the intersection of many secrets. It was twilight, and the majestic setting sun was sinking towards the west, signaling the end of the day, but the start of the night. It was twilight, the dawn of _our_ day, the time when we could go out into _our_ world. It was twilight, and the birds were singing a soft farewell to the sun; their melody was one the purest things that I've ever hoped to hear. It was twilight, and at this time, all the sensible,m weak humans in town were retreating to the safety of their homes—if unaware of exactly what was stalking them, they were at least aware of the danger of the night. It was twilight, and I breathed a sigh of relief. _They_ were always calmer in the dusk—only a couple ever screamed around this time. It was twilight, and it was time for the hunt.

I turned to the beautiful woman beside me. Maria.

It was amazing the effect she had on me. I no longer wanted to claw at my own skin, tear someone—something, anything—anyone apart. She eased the constant torment within me. The desire to run, run far away and never look back, to stay and destroy every last new born, to… save them, was gone. Instead there was calm, and certainty. A certainty that this city would be mine. Followed by more and more cities, until our empire expanded and we were as powerful as the Volturi themselves. There would be no one to oppress us then.

Maria gave me a sidelong glance and a smirk. "Well Jasper…" she purred "Are you ready?"

I nodded. As ready as I'd ever be, in any case. Even she couldn't save me from it. _It_ was the one reason I was glad I couldn't sleep at night. _It_ would have given me nightmares. Even without the nightmares I was insane, a freak. Different. I had always been different from the others. Only so far I had been lucky enough to be spared. Barely.

But barely was the difference between true death and un-death.

She took my hand, and we flew. The city didn't know what hit them.

* * *

It was later now, pitch black. I was alone, and the air smelt as repulsive as I felt. It was thick with newborns, and blood, and venom, and old heartbeats. How could any of them want _it_? The warmth, the wetness, the terror, the fear, the guilt, the denial, the stickiness, the blood? How could I not? How could I not want the pure, concentrated power. _It_ was life. _It_ was the life that we had lost, the lives I had seen taken away, the lives I had ripped from their human bodies. Everyone loved life. Everyone except me.

I should have been locked up. I should have been imprisoned from the very start, for my own good. For everyone's good. They should've put me away when I was a kid, because I was showing all the signs of a first class certified freak.


	5. Miscalculation

**Author's Note:**

**Justin: **YEESSS!!

**Tequila:** WE HAVE BROKEN OUR SLOW UPDATING STREAK!!

**Justin: **we rule:D

**Tequila: **oh YEAH we do!!! we so awesome, we so awesome, we so awesome—

**Justin:** Tequila… you can stop now…

**Tequila: **fine --makes a face at _fun-ruiner-Justin_-- be that way :(

**Disclaimer:**if we were Stephenie Meyer, we'd be busy writing Midnight Sun, duh!!

**Miscalculation**

_1930 (summer, Arkansas) _

It was another sunny day—I definitely sparkled. The glimmer coming off my skin was interesting; I didn't think skin was supposed to do that. Perhaps it was a "vampire" thing? Or did skin usually do that? I blinked. I wasn't sure.

It was so frustrating; to have the memories missing, to have the constant feeling like there was something I was forgetting. I had faint shadows of dark rooms and shadowy corridors, but little else. But there was this all pervasive feeling like there should be more—as if that knowing my past would clear the road to my future. I was deep in thought as I jumped easily over a small river that lay in my path.

I blanked out for a moment, as another whatever-it-was swept into my mind. _A tall man, straining at the heavy stump stuck fast into the soil, wearing pants and nothing more. A slim woman, watching him, was staring with undisguised longing._ How odd. They didn't seem to be 'vampires'—their skins were tan and the man had obviously been exerting all of his strength to move a simple tree stump. Would I never understand why I saw these things, how what I saw was to be determined?!

I scowled in frustration and continued walking, stopping to admire a really lovely little plant. It was—tall, about three feet, and bright green. There were little light blue flowers all around it, with lots of little long petals, and it was kind of clumpy and stalky. I looked for a moment longer. The petals where shaped something like stars. I stood for a moment, enraptured. A butterfly flew down and alighted for a split second. I wondered what that flower could possibly be—it was beautiful.

The weather was fine, too, and I'd just taken down a bob-cat a few hours before. I was full, and lazy, and content. Not that the thirst left, not that it ever left—it just receded slightly, to the back of my mind so I could focus. Not that there was much to focus on. I was wondering blind, with no direction and no goal but to find the beautiful man with the burgundy eyes that seduced me before I'd ever really seen them. I didn't even know if I could trust my whatever-they-weres, those things that showed me what I suspected (hoped) was the future. All I knew was that I was sure that he was out there, my vampire with bloody red eyes and sensual lips. And I hoped the beings with the golden eyes, so similar and yet so different from others that I had 'seen,' those visionaries danced behind my eyes as well, frozen in moments of gentle joy. I wanted that joy, that peace, that security. I wanted to never have to wonder about anything again. I took a deep breath that I didn't need, and savored the scents of the forest.

And then it happened. An aroma I had never before experienced, so delicious and so in every way designed to soothe the craving that never _went_ away. There was a man standing in the woods ahead of me. He was looking the other way. And then he turned his head and the smell really hit me. I ran so fast I think I would have blurred, and then my teeth were sinking into the man's throat. My mind was screaming no again and again—this was not what I wanted, this was not right! But I was helpless to resist the _taste_, the way it stilled the ache, just for a moment, the way it slid and eased down my throat, now keening with pleasure instead of with pounding thirst. I could not stop until I'd drained with man dry, and then I collapsed, shaking, next to the body. No, no, no, no. No! This was not me, this was not right. And I hadn't seen it! My whatever-it-was had failed me; I could no longer rely on the one thing that had protected me.

I was doomed. I felt sick. I stumbled to my feet and ran, frantically concentrating, determined not to allow this to happen again. Ever, ever again.

**A/N:**

**Tequila: **oooh… Alice messed up:(

**Justin:** yep… poor thing… --sheds a tear--

**Tequila:** in other news, if you can figure out what flower Alice was looking at before her… miscalculation… you get a mention in the next chapter:D

**Justin:** and cookies!! (Not Tequila's review cookies, don't worry, Tequila)


	6. Hunting

**Author's Note (Birthday Card Edition):**

**Justin: **HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEQUILA! Your constant prodding for me to update never provided me the proper motivation; but this did! Again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

**Tequila:** -blushes—awwwww….

**Disclaimer:** well… it is Tequila's birthday… but unless Ms. Meyer is feeling generous… nope. Not ours.

**Hunting**

I'm awake, as always, crouched down silently on a rooftop overlooking one of the many dirty streets. I don't even try to hide— I already know from experience the last place anyone looks is up. No one will notice me, not until it's too late. From this height, I wonder why we are even bothering with this place. It's a mess. A cesspool. Who would want it?

Maria. So it doesn't matter why. I just accept the fact with a detached air that almost surprises me. If she wants it, I'll get it for her.

The human comes closer. He's drunk, and slow, and I'm thirsty. No challenge. I'm thirsty. I've held out for as long as I could. I'm thirsty now. It hits me, again, that I'm not like the others. They enjoy it— I'm thirsty _now_— the mess, and the clawing, and the screams. I can just tell. They love it. I don't. It's just a thing that has to be done.

I drop down on him and deliver the killing bite in less than a full second. For an instant my mind races. I want to scream. Something's wrong. Paranoia strikes. Then it all fades away as I finish my imbibitions. No one was here to steal my prey. Now the strength is safely locked within me, coursing through my veins. It's mine, and mine alone. I'm safe. I'm strong. I'm thirsty still.

It's bearable, and the power you get is worth the paranoia. The temporary damage to my mental health is an acceptable loss. Yes, I'm not like the others. The others can't think in terms of acceptable losses and rewards. The others can't see that far past the present moment. The now. The others are far too concerned with themselves to look at the bigger picture. That's why they're all dropping like flies. They're clueless.

The others would never have lasted this long. It's my job to make them last as long as I can.

I take to my feet and return to base.

**Author's Note (Birthday Song Edition):**

**Justin: **So now that you've read through that awesome piece of epicness, I have a request from you.

**Tequila: **review! as a present for moi?:D

**Justin: **Oh. Two requests. That, and… sing the birthday song in your head as you read along!

Happy birthday to you!

I know it's not cool

I update so rarely

And act like a fool!

Thanks for putting up for me for this long Tequila, you rock!

**Tequila:** -giggles and continues to unwrap presents-


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